Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;red suerte&#39;

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Red Suerte’, characterized by its daisy-type inflorescences that are about 7.6 cm in diameter; attractive red ray and bright yellow disc florets; very freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per stem; early flowering, response time about 54 days; very dark green foliage; strong stems; long peduncles; and good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for at least four weeks in an interior environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red Suerte’.

[0002] The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation inductionbreeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. Theobjective of the program is to create new Chrysanthemum cultivars withdesirable inflorescence form and floret colors, good substance, and goodpostproduction longevity.

[0003] The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plantmutation of a proprietary induced mutation that originated by exposingunrooted cuttings of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Regal Suerte, disclosedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,759, to X-ray radiation. The new Chrysanthemumwas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin a population of plants of the irradiated selection in April,1997, in Salinas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on itsdesirable inflorescence form and floret colors and good postproductionlongevity.

[0004] Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminalcuttings taken in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., has shownthat the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The cultivar Red Suerte has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

[0006] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Red Suerte’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Red Suerte’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

[0007] 1. Large daisy-type inflorescences that are about 7.6 cm indiameter.

[0008] 2. Attractive red-colored ray florets and bright yellow-coloreddisc florets.

[0009] 3. Very freely flowering with numerous inflorescences per stem.

[0010] 4. Early flowering, response time is about 54 days.

[0011] 5. Very dark green foliage.

[0012] 6. Strong and thick stems.

[0013] 7. Long peduncles.

[0014] 8. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaininggood substance and color for at least four weeks in an interiorenvironment.

[0015] Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of thecultivar Regal Suerte, primarily in ray floret color as plants of thecultivar Regal Suerte have dark purple-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0016] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overallappearance of the new Chrysanthemum, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum. The photograph on the first sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘RedSuerte’ grown as a spray-type cut Chrysanthemum. The photograph on thesecond sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘RedSuerte’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0017] In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif., underconditions which approximate commercial practice in a double-layerpolyethylene-covered greenhouse. Two-week old rooted cuttings wereplanted on Jun. 7, 2000 and received 12 long day/short nights followedby short day/long nights until flowering. Plants were grown assingle-stem cut chrysanthemums. During the production time, thefollowing environmental conditions were measured: day temperatures, 18to 27° C.; night temperatures, 16 to 18° C.; and light levels, 2,000 to4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averagesfor six to ten typical flowering stems and were taken during the week ofAug. 21, 2000.

[0018] Botanical Classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar RedSuerte.

[0019] Commercial Classification: Daisy spray-type cut Chrysanthemum.

[0020] Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of aproprietary Chrysanthemum×morifolium induced mutation, not patented.

[0021] Propagation:

[0022]Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

[0023]Time to rooting.—About seven to ten days with soil temperatures of21° C.

[0024]Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

[0025] Plant Description:

[0026]Appearance.—Herbaceous daisy spray-type cut flower.

[0027]Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About 99.1 cm.Spray width: About 7.5 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Texture: Pubescent.Color: 146A.

[0028]Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: About 10.2cm. Width: About 7.3 cm. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Mostly truncate. Margin:Palmately lobed; sinuses mostly parallel, occasionally convergent ordivergent. Texture: Upper and lower surfaces pubescent. Veins prominenton lower surface. Color: Young foliage upper surface: Much darker than147A, close to 139A. Young foliage lower surface: Close to 147A. Maturefoliage upper surface: Much darker than 147A; venation, 147A to 147B.Mature foliage lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B to147C. Petiole: Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Uppersurface: Close to 147A to 147B. Lower surface: Close to 147B to 147C.

[0029] Flowering Description:

[0030]Appearance.—Daisy spray-type inflorescence form with elongatedoblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals, arisingfrom leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on acapitulum.

[0031]Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to two weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about54 days later.

[0032]Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment, floweringstems will maintain good color and substance for at least four weeks inan interior environment after one week of cool storage.

[0033]Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering with about 14inflorescences per flowering stem.

[0034]Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.6 cm. Depth (height): About2.8 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.6 cm. Diameter of receptacle: About7.5 mm.

[0035]Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 4.3 cm. Width:About 1.1 cm. Corolla tube length: About 7 mm. Corolla tube diameter:About 2 mm. Apex: Mamillate or emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Entire. Texture: Smooth, satiny, glabrous; longitudinally ridged.Aspect: Initially incurved and concave becoming mostly flat withsubsequent development. Aspect: Initially upright; when mature, about60° from vertical. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 66arranged in about four rows. Color: When opening, upper surface: Closeto 53A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 183D. Mature, uppersurface: Close to 53A; fading to close to 46A with subsequentdevelopment. Mature, lower surface: Close to 9D, underlain with darkred, 59A.

[0036]Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, slightly flared at apex. Length:About 7 mm. Width: Apex: About 1.5 mm. Base: About 1 mm. Number of discflorets per inflorescence: Numerous, typically about 123. Color:Immature: Initially 144A, then 145A to 154A. Mature: Apex: 9A.Mid-section: Close to 154A. Base: 155D.

[0037]Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Angled about 35° fromvertical. Length: First peduncle: About 11.6 cm. Fourth peduncle: About15.8 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 21 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture:Very fine pubescence. Color: 146A.

[0038] i Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only.Anther color: 9A. Amount of pollen: Scarce to moderate. Color: 15A.Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.

[0039]Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

[0040] Disease Resistance: Resistance to pathogens common toChrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under commercialconditions.

[0041] Temperature Tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum havedemonstrated good tolerance to night temperatures as low as 5° C. andday temperatures as high as 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Red Suerte’, as illustrated and described.